English

Refinements of Lattice paths with flaws

Combinatorics 2008-12-16 v1

Abstract

The classical Chung-Feller theorem [2] tells us that the number of Dyck paths of length nn with mm flaws is the nn-th Catalan number and independent on mm. In this paper, we consider the refinements of Dyck paths with flaws by four parameters, namely peak, valley, double descent and double ascent. Let pn,m,k{p}_{n,m,k} be the number of all the Dyck paths of semi-length nn with mm flaws and kk peaks. First, we derive the reciprocity theorem for the polynomial Pn,m(x)=k=1npn,m,kxkP_{n,m}(x)=\sum\limits_{k=1}^np_{n,m,k}x^k. Then we find the Chung-Feller properties for the sum of pn,m,kp_{n,m,k} and pn,m,nkp_{n,m,n-k}. Finally, we provide a Chung-Feller type theorem for Dyck paths of length nn with kk double ascents: the number of all the Dyck paths of semi-length nn with mm flaws and kk double ascents is equal to the number of all the Dyck paths that have semi-length nn, kk double ascents and never pass below the x-axis, which is counted by the Narayana number. Let vn,m,k{v}_{n,m,k} (resp. dn,m,kd_{n,m,k}) be the number of all the Dyck paths of semi-length nn with mm flaws and kk valleys (resp. double descents). Some similar results are derived.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0812.2820,
  title  = {Refinements of Lattice paths with flaws},
  author = {Jun Ma and Yeong-Nan Yeh},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0812.2820},
  year   = {2008}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-21T11:52:12.237Z